Lining up your libations during labour disputes

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/08/2023 (1107 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba’s booze-buying opportunities continue to be both shaken and stirred by ongoing labour disputes between Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MLL) and the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU).

With the situation continuing to change day by day — from strike action to employees being locked out of certain stores to shipment and delivery issues at the MLL warehouse — customers have been left wondering where and when they can find their favourite products (or a suitable substitution).

Thankfully there are plenty of options out there — at least for now.

First of all, before heading to your nearest Liquor Mart to stock up, it’s best be sure they’re open — check the Liquor Marts website to see which stores might have been affected by work stoppages. Hours of operation are being updated daily as things change.

Labour disputes have also been affecting inventory at Liquor Marts, with an increasing number of empty shelf spots at retail locations. Once you confirm your Liquor Mart is open, find the product on its website and then use the drop-down “store inventory” button to see if it’s in stock where you shop.

If you would rather avoid the uncertainty altogether, many categories of products are available at a retail level that doesn’t involve Liquor Marts — although they may not have the exact product you’re looking for.

On the wine front, Winnipeg’s eight private wine stores have seen increased traffic and sales since the outset of the labour dispute. Private stores typically sell a mixture of wines listed by the MLL, as well as products they source themselves that aren’t available at Liquor Marts (they can also sell ciders and wine/cider-based coolers).

Products listed by Liquor Marts come to private stores via the MLL warehouse, meaning inventory on those products may fluctuate. But fear not — if your favourite wine isn’t stocked by your nearest private wine store, there’s a good chance they’ll have a tasty substitution at a similar price — just ask.

In addition to lagers and ales, most beer vendors can (and do) also sell cider, coolers and other “refreshment beverages.” Beer vendors have their own beer-distribution system, meaning they have plenty of brews in stock, but heads up: they get their coolers and seltzers from MLL, and stock of those products is noticeably dwindling.

The segment of the liquor industry in Manitoba that could use consumers’ help more than anyone right now is local manufacturers of beer, cider, wines and spirits, many of whom have seen orders from their biggest customer — Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries — dry up.

Having weathered the rocky road of the pandemic, local brewers, distillers and wine/cider-makers have now again been plunged into uncertain territory.

Many beer drinkers who tend to stick to macro brews have a misconception that craft beer is all about IPAs, stouts, sours and oddball flavoured ales. Not so — many locals have recognized there’s a thirst out there for crushable, easygoing lagers, pilseners and even light beers that would fit right in around your average campfire, on your sun-drenched patio or to help beat the heat after mowing the lawn.

Stop in at the tap room of your nearest craft producer of beer, wine, cider or spirits, and stock up.

uncorked@mts.net

@bensigurdson

 

Drinks of the week

Interlake Brewing Co. Sunny Days Earl Grey Lemon Shandy (Gimli — $4.49/473ml cans, Oxus Brewing Co., Liquor Marts, beer vendors)

By adding some lemon juice to its Earl Grey wheat ale, Interlake Brewing Co. (now open in Gimli, but still making canned beers at Oxus’s Sanford Street facility in Winnipeg) has crafted a delicious summer brew. Pale gold in colour and slightly hazy, there’s loads of lemon zest that comes through aromatically, as well that bergamot note from the tea and a hint of wheat. It’s dry and light-bodied, with loads of citrus but without the really tart, almost salty note that a sour or gose can bring. Rather, that lemon note works well with the Earl Grey flavours, while the 4.5 per cent alcohol works with the summery vibe. Pop into the new tap room if you’re heading up to the Icelandic Festival this weekend — it’s in the old Whitecaps restaurant space and has a rooftop patio. 4/5

Casa Silva 2021 Doña Dominga Clásico de Familia Chardonnay-Semillon (Colchagua Valley, Chile — around $13, private wine stores)

Tropical fruit aromas are front and centre on this medium-straw-coloured white wine, with ripe apple, honeycomb, peach and hints of butterscotch in play as well. It’s medium-bodied and dry, although the apple, peach and tropical notes bring loads of ripeness, while there’s some vanilla and butterscotch from some likely oak barrel aging and/or malolactic fermentation, which all adds up to a richer, rounder wine. There’s a touch of heat on the finish, as it’s 14 per cent alcohol. For the price, this is a tasty white should your favourite Chardonnay be out of stock. Available at most private wine stores. 3.5/5

Diora 2020 La Petite Grace Pinot Noir (Monterey, Calif. — $21.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

The fruit for this relatively cool-climate California Pinot Noir comes from multiple vineyards — it’s pale ruby in colour with slight brick-infused edges in the glass, indicating it’s a drink-now red. Aromatically there are cherry, cola, mushroom, earth and lacquer notes that show well; on the dry, medium-bodied palate those flavours shine through, with modest tannins and, at 14.5 per cent alcohol, a slightly warm finish. It’s a nice New World Pinot Noir for those who like Meiomi but want something with less sweetness — and it’s on sale right now (regular $24.99), making it a far better value. 4/5